Wool on the wharf: the Sea Bags™/ Woolrich collaboration

Founded in 1999, Sea Bags of Portland, Maine is the original purveyor of stylish totes made from recycled sailcloth.

Their totes and accessories are 100 percent recycled, and 100 percent made in the USA. Sea Bags’ manufacturing facility operates on Portland’s historic waterfront, drawing inspiration from the local maritime economy and employing its residents.

When Sea Bags CEO Beth Shissler wanted to take the brand’s signature sailcloth totes into the winter season, she reached out to her favorite heritage brand, Woolrich.

In a recent collaboration between the two made-in-the USA classics, comes a limited edition collection of totes made from handpicked Woolrich wool collected from our fabled Woolen Mill in Woolrich, Pennsylvania, and sailcloth that has been sailed around the world.

Sea Bags’ designers traveled to the Woolen Mill to hand select fabric from the mill’s archives, and give it new life as a Sea Bags tote, dopp kit, or iPad case. The result is a stylish, classic collaboration that celebrates American manufacturing and design creativity.

Shissler took a few moments to answer a few of our questions about how this unique collaboration came to be.

WP: First things first, tell us how you’re able to get your hands on all these recycled sails…

BS: We have a great team and a Sail Acquisition Manager who covers a lot of territory to get the recycled sails. We also trade sails for bags with any individual who has a sail sitting around and would like to find a new use for it.

Why Woolrich?

We love the Woolrich Woolen Mill. Their rich American history is iconic to us and their quality is unrivaled.

What makes this collaboration special?

B.S. As one of the oldest US factories, they have so much to teach us. We also believe that we bring a fresh new spirit to them. We believe our sails will take the winter out of the wool, and their wool will take the summer out of the sail. We hope to make a timeless classic product that reflects our two brands.

How limited is this limited edition collection?

B.S. This is pretty limited. When the wool is gone the bags are too. We’ve done 3 colorways: Harvest, Lodge and Forest which we chose from the Woolrich factory floor.

If Woolrich had a company sailboat, what would its name be?

B.S. Weft ‘n Warp

What Sea Bag are you currently carrying?

B.S. I just swapped out my current bag to carry the Harvest tote. The colors are perfectly in sync with our Maine fall foliage.

Final thoughts: What do you want Woolrich fans to know about Sea Bags?

B.S. We would love for Woolrich fans to know that we are passionate about our product and our US made heritage. We want to be around as long as Woolrich has and have a whole lot of fun along the way.